The present invention relates to electricity meters. In particular, the present invention relates to a configurable adapter and a new socket mounted electricity meter format, herein called a narrow base socket meter which can be used to enable a narrow base meter to be used as a switchboard meter, as well as to mount standard socket meters, along with power monitoring devices, all in several different sizes of switchboard cases.
As is known by those skilled in the electrical metering arts, socket mounted meters are used in numerous locations. As used herein, the term “narrow base socket meter” is intended to mean an electricity meter which is characterized by having (1) a conventional, industry standard socket configuration; (2) a body which is narrower than a conventional socket mounted meter, such that it can fit into a cradle inside a switchboard case; and (3) a cover which fits over the front of the meter and attaches to the switchboard case, rather than a conventional cylindrical cover which attaches to the base of the meter. As used herein, the term “narrow base socket” is intended to refer to a socket base for an electricity revenue utility meter, which has a conventional socket configuration but which is otherwise narrower than a conventional socket meter base.
By way of example, a narrow base socket is shown in FIGS. 20–21 (at reference number 830) in U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,230 entitled ADAPTER FOR CONVERTING A SWITCHBOARD CASE FOR USE WITH A SOCKET MOUNTED METER which issued on Jul. 16, 2002 to the present inventor. The invention described therein allows a standard socket meter, rather than the narrow base socket meter of the present invention, to be used in a switchboard case. However, due to the width of a standard socket meter, the meter and its cover extend out of the switchboard case, and only the meter's bayonet connectors extend into the narrow base socket.
While a narrow base socket of the type described in that patent can be used, as described therein, with a standard meter, the fact that the meter extends out of the case is not desirable in some switchboard applications. In many applications it would be more desirable to have an adapter which permits the use of a “standard” meter wherein the standard meter, nevertheless, is substantially flush with the panel when mounted.
Another issue which has been present heretofore relates to the fact that there are a number of different types of switchboard cases, and that they come in different lengths, and different manufacturers make them in different configurations. Further, there are commercial applications in which metering devices, called “power monitors”, as contrasted to electricity revenue meters, are used in switchboard applications.
Despite the desire to have a configurable solution which would allow either standard or narrow base meters to be used in switchboard applications, while allowing, also for power monitoring meters to be used, as well, without the associated need to maintain a large inventory of adapters which are able to provide such flexibility and without the need to use switchboard meters, until now, no such solution has existed.